Charlton vs Mighty MLJ

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Our comparison today is about as close as you can come to two characters that parallel each other. Both are strong-willed blonde women who do not back down. Both found themselves in relationships with heroes carrying HUGE chips on their shoulders, men with a cerebral side who invent the blunt instruments they use to bring justice to others. One of our ladies, Thelma Gordon had existed for decades, since her first appearance in Pep Comics, as a reporter for the Daily Star (a popular employer in the 1940's, apparently) investigating the Comet She was later retroactively inserted as the love interest of Comet's alter ego, John Dickering right from the beginning. The other gal, Nona O'Rourke, found herself gainfully employed by former diplomat turned scientist Christopher Smith, aka the Peacemaker, in the 60's. Let's examine their histories...on the sidelines:

Right away, we must begin questioning fare Thelma's taste in men. But it doesn't stop there! John isn't the only wacko.

Turns out gangsters try to rub out the Comet by kidnapping kid brother Bob. Then they kill the hero (he survives but disappears). Thelma rejects character limbo & latches on to new series lead Bob aka Hangman aka overbearing Jerk.

Like Thelma, Nona is terrified at the obsessive nature of her "man". He's more level headed than John. But he's also a big flirt . Who can't commit. But definitely smirks a lot! Because that was cool back in the swinging 60's.

Peacemaker #6, which itself was unpublished, was the last we would see this incarnation of Peacemaker's spunky sidekick. Thelma, however, was the supporting character that WOULD NOT DIE even when her first protagonist boyfriend bit the dust. That's not saying much, as all the Dickering men in her life, even her son (messed up by his father's abuse above) had serious issues that she couldn't help them resolve. Very tragic. But so is character limbo, where both are gal pals are in right now.